(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission has released a 294-page document examining how slavery and related issues produced historical harms and continue to generate inequities for black residents of Illinois. The commission said the report will help inform debate over how to repair and redress the damage. Authors of the report say it was beyond the scope of the document to determine what the remedies should be for those in Illinois.
(EAST ST. LOUIS) State officials are crediting the Public Safety Enforcement Group for East St. Louis reporting its lowest numbers of homicides in at least 45 years. Created by the Illinois State Police in 2020, the PSEG now serves as a national urban policing model. East St. Louis homicide numbers dropped each year from 34 in 2020 to only 15 in 2025. As side note to the special enforcement measures, non-fatal shootings dropped by 61 percent during the five years.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Housing Development Authority is asking for public input on how the agency allocates low-income housing tax credits. The IHDA has hybrid summit meetings set for March 11th in Springfield and March 20th in Chicago. The agency is also conducting an online survey of the public’s opinion on recommendations and allocation priorities at ihda.org.
(SPRINGFIELD) The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs this past Saturday commemorated the 35th anniversary of the ceasefire that ended Operation Desert Storm. The ceremony at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield was headlined by Brigadier General Steven Rice. A coalition of forces from the United States and other countries fought Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait for 42 days until the ceasefire was declared on February 28th, 1991.